Is Light a Macroscopic or Microscopic System?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter StevieTNZ
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Light System
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether light should be classified as a macroscopic or microscopic system. Participants explore the nature of light in relation to various phenomena and its role in connecting different scales of physical interactions.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that light cannot be classified strictly as a system, as it exhibits characteristics of both macroscopic phenomena (e.g., refraction in water) and microscopic phenomena (e.g., photon absorption by electrons).
  • One participant proposes that light, and more broadly the electromagnetic field, serves as a "glue" that connects the microscopic world, dominated by strong and weak nuclear forces, with the macroscopic world, where gravity is the primary influence.
  • Another participant simply states that light is not a system.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether light can be classified as a system, with no consensus reached on the matter.

StevieTNZ
Messages
1,944
Reaction score
837
Macroscopic? Microscopic?
 
Science news on Phys.org
StevieTNZ said:
Macroscopic? Microscopic?

Not sure u can call light as a system. Light participates in both macroscopic (like refraction of light rays in water) and microscopic (like absorbion of a light photon from an electron) phenomena. For me light and more general the electromagnetic field is the "glue" that binds the microscopic (where strong and weak nuclear force dominate) and macroscopic(where gravity dominates) world
 
Light is a not system.
 
Thanks for the responses.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Explanation for homemade digital microscope's optical systems?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
High School Interference in Thin Films
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
High School Huh? Seeing crisp vitreous floaters while using microscope
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
Undergrad Compound Microscope System: Magnification Power Explained
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
Undergrad Uncertainty principle on macroscopic objects
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
Undergrad Color and appearance of a "pile" of biological viruses
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Undergrad Does gravity cause quantum decoherence?
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
3K
Undergrad Higher magnification calibration slide
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
663
Undergrad Microscopic and macroscopic physics
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Graduate Why does the speed of light change in different media?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K